Victoria’s Read

Myrtle Alice Cook McGowan. Born Toronto, Ont Jan 5, 1902. Died Mar 18, 1985 in Elora, Ont.

A shy and quiet child, she loved to participate in sports and excelled in track as a high school student which lasted on through to her adult years.
 

At 15 years of age, she was named to the women’s national track team. She won six Canadian Championships in the 60 yard and 100 yard events between 1927 and 1930.

Recognition of her prowess in running came in the 1928 Olympics, the first Olympic Games to allow women to compete. Myrtle was one of a team of six women to represent Canada. The press would call them “the Matchless Six”. At the Halifax Olympic trials, she had set a world record in the 100 meters but unfortunately at the games themselves, Myrtle was disqualified from this event after two false starts. She still ran the anchor leg of the 400 m relay and it was not only a Gold medal run but the event set a new world record of 48.4 seconds! The “matchless Six” returned home as heroes, welcomed with ticker tape parades in Canada’s two largest cities, Toronto and Montreal.

In April 1929, Myrtle moved to Montreal to begin her career as a sports columnist for the Montreal Daily Star newspaper where she worked for 44 years. She was a leader and organizer, working for recognition of women in sport and to establish the Montreal Major Ladies’ softball league, the Montreal Major Ladies’ Hockey League and a branch of the Canadian Ladies’ Athletic Club.

She was even called upon to teach running techniques to the members of the Montreal Royals, a professional men’s baseball team and  served in World War ll as a track coach of the Canadian Armed Services.

From 1932 to 1972, Myrtle served on almost every British Empire/Commonwealth Games Committee and Canadian Olympic Committees.

Myrtle Cook became known as “Canada’s First Lady of Sport” and for her numerous achievements and lifelong contribution / dedication to promoting women’s sport she has been elected into the Sports Halls of Fame for Montreal, the Province of Québec, The Canadian Olympics and Canada.

Submitted by Dawn Monroe. famouscanadianwoman.com